


it's gonna get easier and easier somehow (but not today)

by wonderingredroses



Category: Merlin (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Angst and Feels, Arthur Pendragon Returns (Merlin), BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Camelot, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dragons, Friendship, Idris (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Lake Lyn (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Multi, Nephilim, POV Multiple, Vampires, Warlocks, Werewolves, no beta we die like arthur
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:07:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29033664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderingredroses/pseuds/wonderingredroses
Summary: When Clary learned just how true the stories were, she thought she had lived through the extent of it. She probably should have pushed more on what that entails. Because Arthurian Legends? That definitely was pushing it.OrAlbion and the Shadow World are a lot closer than people think.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Gwen/Lancelot (Merlin), Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Kudos: 9





	it's gonna get easier and easier somehow (but not today)

Clary Fairchild thought she had seen it all. After stumbling into the shadow world with demons, nephilim, downworlders. Meeting her father, realizing he’s evil and that he experimented on her and her brother with demon and angel blood then having to kill her brother in another dimension. While also meeting the love of her life and finding a family in the New York institute. She had thought that the worst of it was over. To think she had fallen into a false sense of security when really - there was always going to be something that came up. 

But in what was supposed to be a short visit in Idris to meet with the Clave, it seemed that it would have to be extended. The current climate of the downworld had the potential to lead up to another disaster.

  
“There have been a series of murders occurring in downworlder hotspots,” Jia Penhallow pointed to the globe on the projection. Illuminated dots were scattered all around. “We have been able to identify the killer’s signature,” With a wave of her hand, a new slide of images was displayed. 

It was a maudlin sight. Each victim lay on the steps of a different Institute. Giving the impression of crawling towards the sanctuary. Towards shadowhunters sworn to protect them. What was also noticeable was that the victims were all downworlders. Faeries in their earthy garb, vampires with their eyes wide open and blood leaking down their faces, warlocks each with their unique warlock marks, and werewolves half transformed. 

“I have Catarina Loss searching for any indications to a ritual, but so far all the victims have been downworlders ranging from ages thirteen to forty-two.”

Clary and Alec who stood shoulder to shoulder in the congregation glanced at each other. The implications of these events could upturn the fragile state of the Shadow World. The Clave assembled this time for a series of murders connected both in and out of the Shadow World and a killer that did not care about the ages of their targets. 

“The victims had no other affiliations that would make them a target for this.”

“How have we not heard of this before? This is genocide on a large scale,” It was Chaudhury of the Mumbai Institue.

Jia sighed and rubbed at the bridge of her nose, “I know how it sounds, but they popped up seemingly in the span of three days. In various locations around the world. They were missing for an estimated three weeks before that, but there were no reports. The victims didn’t have any close family or friends to notice them missing.”

The Fairchild and Lightwood thought about their family and friends. They had close ties with downworlders and the more they heard, the more it seemed like blind hatred. 

“We need Institue Heads and downworlder delegates to collaborate on this one. Work out a system to account for the individuals who may have gone missing recently. Meeting adjourned.”

While no one outwardly protested her orders, there were a few members of the Council who radiated discomfort at the thought of working with downworlders. They may have worked together in the war, but the tension remained. 

Clary crossed her arms and glared at those who were obviously discomfited in their bigotry. She felt Alec shift next to her and place his hand on her shoulder. He guided her out before she could say anything. Conscious of the fact that she couldn’t snap at council members, she kept her mouth shut. Her agitation must have showed anyway because once the two were out, Alec gave her a comforting smile and ruffled her hair. 

“Jerks, I know.” It made Clary smile a bit. She knew that Alec was just as frustrated as her. He had a warlock husband and son. Het heart squeezed in sympathy for him. He had been busy with the Clave and hadn’t seen his family in a while. In addition to that, the downworlder killings were bound to be another burden for him to bear.

Maybe they could hang out and get a little downtime for a bit. They didn’t have any immediate meetings to get to, “Wanna join me at the lake? I could tell you what Jace did last week that he made me swear on my sketchbook not to tell you.” She tilted her head up at him innocently. He snorted.

“You would risk your sketchbook?”

“Well he doesn’t have to know. Plus, I’ve got plenty spare.”

Alec was just about to give in when Jia called for him from inside the Council chambers. They both groaned. Alec turned to leave but not without shouting, “I’m holding you to that, Fray!”

Clary Fairchild thought she had seen it all. After stumbling into the shadow world with demons, nephilim, downworlders. Meeting her father, realizing he’s evil and that he experimented on her and her brother with demon and angel blood then having to kill her brother in another dimension. While also meeting the love of her life and finding a family in the New York institute. She had thought that the worst of it was over. To think she had fallen into a false sense of security when really - there was always going to be something that came up. 

But in what was supposed to be a short visit in Idris to meet with the Clave, it seemed that it would have to be extended. The current climate of the downworld had the potential to lead up to another disaster.

Clary made her way for a short excursion to Lake Lyn. She sat on the sand not too far from the shore and got out her sketchbook and charcoal from her worn leather bag. Pushing aside her stele and reports from the earlier meeting. 

The redhead dragged the charcoal across the page and began her sketch. She worked for at least a solid twenty minutes and had a rough outline of the landscape before her. Glancing up now and then to capture more details. Only this time, when she looked up, something had changed. 

Trying to place it, Clary scanned the area. Nothing immediately stood out to her - trees swayed slightly from the breeze, birds chirped in an idealistic fashion Alicante seemed always to portray, the weather was as fair as it had been before. 

She was not expecting a light to glimmer underwater as she shaded in the sunset on the calm water. Nor did she expect that calm water to be disturbed by something lurking underneath. She was already armed with her seraph blade when a man in medieval armor emerged. Waves carried him to shore. He was unconscious. Clary thought that he looked _dead_ as he laid there chest unmoving and utterly still. 

She crept closer to him and crouched down. Reaching for his neck to feel for a pulse. There was nothing at first, but then she felt it. 

First the beating of his heart.

Then he took a breath.

And he opened his eyes.

  
  
**~*~O~*~  
**

**Two weeks previously.**

Horns honked, and people side-eyed the man as he continuously bumped into them in his rush. He also continuously muttered half-hearted apologies without a pause in his long stride. He would feel bad about it later, he resolved. 

He could not slow down now. He’d barely paused and barely rested during his travels. He confronted the Sidhe only to be led back to the Seelie Court— right where he began. 

There was a matter to get to. A matter that happened to be wriggling around in his black coat, “Novus, would you be still for a second.” 

The wriggling stopped for a moment. Merlin sighed with relief, the claws no longer scratching at his torso. Novus then continued to move after the brief respite. This time he felt a tiny tail smack his hip. He supposed Novus staying hidden was all he could ask for. 

The blue-eyed man pulled up the collar of his coat when the breeze gave another whisper barely heard amongst the commotion of New York. Only seen in the way city-goers adjusted their coats and scarves. He walked faster in hopes of getting out of the cold sooner. 

He reached another stoplight and groaned. He might love the city, but that did not stop him from despairing over the traffic. 

The scratching was becoming more insistent. He would have to let Novus out soon. 

With that thought in mind, the lights changed in his favor, and his eyes glinted gold. More horns honked accompanied by multiple swears from drivers who rolled their windows down to give the traffic lights a piece of their mind. The raven-haired man shouldered his way through the crosswalk when he finally arrived at the street he was looking for. Relieved and yet nervous, he ducked down into an alley instead of continuing on his path. 

He slid his hand into his coat to pull out the newly hatched dragon. Who shrieked in delight at being freed. Novus chittered with excitement and valiantly tried to flap her wings. Merlin worried for her when she hatched. She was a beautiful dragon, but her wings were disproportionate to her body. Nevertheless, when she looked at him with those opalescent eyes of hers and nudged his cheek with her head, his heart hardened by the years that have long since passed, melted completely. 

“Hey there, Novus, how are you faring?” 

She whuffed in response and stomped her little feet on his hands. Merlin smiled. She was so endearing. He hates to put a downer on her mood, but he wasn’t sure how angry his friend might be with him, so into a pocket she goes, “It’s only for a little while this time, I promise.” 

He laughed humorlessly at his own words. A little while had lasted centuries—millenium even. But he would have to hold on to his patience for a bit longer. Novus was a sign. His brief check-in on Lancelot, Percival, and Leon was a sure confirmation that Arthur would return. _An omen of Albion’s cry for help,_ his mind whispered. He brushed that aside. He had his friends back. Merlin missed them dearly. Although, he didn’t actually interact with them, just stopped by long enough to see them with his own two eyes. They reintegrated perfectly into the modern world with no memory of their past lives. No memory of Camelot, the Round Table… him. He would get the chance later. For now, he had to make it up to the friend who did remember him. 

With a heave of a sigh, he made his way to the penthouse and knocked rapidly. He rapped his knuckles again after what seemed like an eternity. In reality, it was only two minutes and if it were any other time, it wouldn’t have mattered to the immortal warlock. This was his dear friend, the family he found when he was alone for centuries after Arthur’s death. 

Last he heard, his friend had a loving partner and two sons. Not that he knew that via direct contact to the younger warlock. So much changed while he was gone and his heart warmed knowing that it was for the better. His only regrets being that he wasn’t there. He deserved the anger that would soon be directed at him. 

When the door finally opened to reveal the High Warlock of Brooklyn with a look of irritation upon his face and his piercing cat eyes, Merlin Emrys let a grin spread on his face for the first time since his ordeal in Scotland. Disregarding the imminent outburst, he was really excited to see the urchin again. 

“Magnus! Missed me?”  
  


**~*~O~*~**

Alec, his darling partner, was away on official Clave business again. He had been going back and forth between Idris and their apartment so often. Organizing the Council and being a representative of the New York Institute was keeping him busy.

That left him with his two rascals. Max, Rafe, and he had spent the day without their father playing board games, watching movies, or going to the park. They enjoyed their time, but when it came to the end of the night when one of their fathers was not there to tuck them in, Magnus knew that they missed Alexander dearly. He reminisced fondly upon Max and Rafe, despite being warlock and Nephilim children turning into limpets whenever their Dad needed to travel for work. Max commandeered Alexander’s arm while Rafe anchored his foot to the ground. He was not expected back until the end of the week. Three at most. It was with this knowledge that made the warlock pause in his tracks when he heard the knock on his door. 

He looked down at himself. He was standing in the kitchen wearing nothing but one of his partner’s t-shirts and a silk leopard print robe. He set down the tea he was absent-mindedly stirring and headed to the foyer. 

Another set of rapid knocks sounded through the house. He huffed hoping that the person wouldn’t wake his sons. He refrained from yelling that _he would be right there. No need to get their panties in a twist._ A glance at the clock told him that it was an ungodly hour for anyone to be banging on his door. He tied up his robe and yanked the door open in the hopes that whoever was out there wouldn’t disturb anyone else. 

Clary, his biscuit, was with Alec in Idris. Isabelle called him earlier in the day to check in on her nephews and mentioned that she would be with Simon for a date night. Blondie was also out of town, visiting the LA institute to help with a mission. 

As far as he knew, the wayward shadowhunters were held up in Idris or the Institute. That left any manner of a poor soul looking for Brooklyn’s High Warlock for help.

He pulled the door open a crack so he could peer through. A snappy greeting on the tip of his tongue to whoever -

“ _Merlin._ ” It was honestly a shock to see the man. He had barely changed: hair curled down to cover his ears, stubble on his face - he was usually clean-shaven - terribly dark circles under his eyes, and paler than his natural complexion. All in all, he looked horrible.

Magnus let the door hang ajar as he about-faced back into the penthouse. The older warlock took that as his cue to come in. 

“It’s been a minute, Magnus. What have you been up to?” There was that unfailing grin on his face that urged his friend to engage in the conversation. Magnus picked up the tea he had discarded on the table and went back to the kitchen, searching for something in the cupboards. Merlin looked around the house. 

“Oh, you know, the usual,” Magnus gave up on searching for whatever he was looking for manually and summoned it to his waiting hand instead. Jose Cuervos flew through the room and he poured some into his tea and gave the bottle to Merlin. “It looks like you need it”

“Teenage Nephilim arrived at my door, my humble abode ever the sanctuary for lost souls— that’s when I met the lovely Alexander Lightwood. They became heavily involved in the Dark War. I aided them of course.” 

“Of course.”

“And now I am in a happy relationship with Alexander with two adopted sons.”

“That's wonderful, my friend”

“Your nephews if you were here. If you had checked in like you usually do. It is the 21st century, Emrys. Phones exist.” His voice was hard. 

“I don’t —” Magnus was not in the mood for excuses. 

“And even if you don’t have a phone. You are a warlock. You could have portalled from wherever you were and I could have told you all about how I was worried for my newfound family. That we weren’t all going to survive.” Even if there hadn’t been a war, his friend was supposed to check in regularly. Not go silent for fifteen years. Even with their immortal lives, they were meant to be there for each other. It had been like that for as long as he could remember. And he had a damn good memory.

“I found—” His damn good memory also allowed him to hold grudges. 

“It would have been a great help for the ‘most powerful sorcerer to walk the earth’ be there.” He knew Merlin hated the title. Magnus ruled that he deserved the jab. 

“I am sorry I wasn’t there for you. I tried to help as much as I possibly could. There was something else going on.” Magnus pursed his lips. Merlin was genuinely apologetic and it must have been urgent to keep him away for so long. 

“What was so important that came up?” Magnus’s curiosity piqued when he saw Merlin reach inside his coat to grab something. Its navy blue body fit in the palm of his hand, but the wings were twice as large as the creature itself and seemed to weigh the dragon down. Because that’s what it was:

A dragon.

Excitement welled up within the sparkly warlock. And there was no point in quelling it since the features were unmistakable. Merlin told him stories of Kilgharrah and Aithusa many times when he was a boy. He had sketched him pictures with charcoal of a Great Dragon with golden eyes and golden scales. Of a pearl white dragon with blue eyes. 

Magnus supposed he could forgive Merlin. The elder warlock was a dragonlord and he knew how much his friend regretted failing his duty the first time. And finding a dragon egg after all this time... 

“Merlin, what does it mean that you have discovered a dragon egg now?”

Merlin’s eyes gleamed, “She is not the only one I have discovered. The Round Table— they are alive. Not quite awake, but they are here and it is only a matter of time until Arthur wakes up too.”

Magnus took a swig of the bottle, “Start from the beginning.”

“I found the knights. Well some of them at least. I _know_ the rest of them are out there living a second life. Lancelot. He’s a shadowhunter. Fresh out of the Academy. Which is perfect. Shadowhunters are knights in their own regard. Leon, he was born a shadowhunter. Percival is a werewolf….”  
  


**~*~O~*~**

Somewhere in the Paris Institute, Leon was observing his trainees spar. He did a quick patrol of the Institute and found nothing alarmingly out of place. The church was empty except for a sole man sitting in the back pew. Coat collar drawn up and his raven head bowed down and whispering a prayer. He left him to his devices and continued his inspection. He was left in charge as temporary head while Elodie Verlac attended a Clave meeting. He was honored that she trusted him with the role. It could have very well gone to his father who usually took up the role. And had Sebastian been here…. 

He thought briefly of the Dark War and the man who led it. Who stole his cousin’s name and caused calamity to Alicante. Leon shook his head. He needed to stay focused.

His stint as the temporary head was going satisfactorily. Leon would be able to hand Elodie’s Institute back functioning and whole. That is until he brought two mundanes so they could convalesce in the infirmary. He supposed that exceptions could be made in this situation. They were meant to be a sanctuary. Gwen and her brother Elyan seemed to be good people after all. In the short time, he had known them, there was an easy camaraderie that he did not feel with the shadowhunters he grew up with. 

He had found them while on a hunt around the smaller towns. A demon approached them right in the middle of the street. It was an Eidolon demon in its original form. Not bothering to rely on its natural deception when it can sneak up on its oblivious prey. Many of the locals were asleep or at least in their homes so the pair were unsuspecting. Leon managed to intercept the demon just as it lunged. It was a hasty affair. He took a minute to appreciate the clean death after looking himself over to check for ichor. 

He was about to take his leave when he heard the yelp of the two mundanes, _“Watch out!”_

Right before he was tackled to the ground by another creature. He should have known there would be another lurking in the darkness. It hissed in his face and _where in the world was his blade-_

“ _Hey!_ You big ugly creature— over here.”

By the Angel, was that one of the mundanes? A mundane with the sight apparently. It was becoming less uncommon these days. His entire body pinned down by the Eidolon just barely allowed him to glance at the voice. It was a curly-haired woman, wearing a sweater vest over a collared t-shirt and jeans. She looked very much like a mundane who attended a university. She couldn’t defend herself without a weapon. She didn’t even have those dangerous stilettos that he once witnessed Elodie wield against a Drevak. He panicked. He could manage to get himself out and heal himself with an iratze. He needed her to run. 

“Run, just go!”

Then the hissing stopped. He looked back in time to see his blade slice its head clean off. The other mundane stood in a nearly perfect form that he could be mistaken as nephilim. The only thing that denied the idea of its credence was the unlit blade in his hand. 

_Well,_ he studied the people before him. The resemblance was unmistakable. Both wore expressions of disbelief but the woman stood straight-backed and the man appeared to be coming down from an adrenaline rush. 

These two had just saved his life. He held out his hand to the man, “I am in your debt. My name is Leon.”

  
**~*~O~*~**   
  


Gwen just adored France. Her father surprised her on her graduation from uni with plane tickets. She squealed and gave him her best hug, her cap falling from her head and likely suffocating him with her gown. Maybe she could get Elyan to join her. They barely spent any more time together and he was spending time with the wrong crowd. Gwen shut down that train of thought, she would only spiral into a flurry of worry that would eat at her. On her graduation no less! She reminisced on the hours of staying up late and taking notes for her business class. Here she was with a bachelor's degree in business. With a straight path to any respectable career. She gnawed at her lip. She earned her degree and now she needed to find a job and her life would be set. Gwen released a breath. There she went again: worrying. She really needed that trip. 

“Gwen, Gwen, are you listening? You’ve got two tickets so you can bring along a friend of yours,” Tom was looking at her expectantly.

“Oh yes. I was actually thinking to bring along Elyan. We barely get any more time together.”

Her dad seemed surprised at first, then decided it was the best thing he heard since she got accepted into NYU. 

So she went to France. She and Elyan visited all the major landmarks and sights, so she decided she wanted to see the local area. They strolled down the streets of the small villages well until dark. Only the flickering lamps spread sparsely through the street guided them. They walked without a care in the world.

A sole squelching sound stopped them. Gwen looked down hoping that she didn’t step in anything. These were her favorite flats. 

Another squelching sounded before she realized that it came from behind her. She pitied the poor soul that stepped in whatever the substance that was. Gwen wanted to catch a glance and instead of seeing a person desperately trying to wipe scat from their shoe, she saw large teeth. 

She jumped because those sharp teeth belonged to a hellish looking creature just before it burst into ashes. Frozen, she felt Elyan shove her behind him. Oh, she forgot about him. Did he see what she just saw? His stunned face told her that yes he did see that absolutely abnormal thing. Was it some genetic defect in a crossbreed of some sort? Gwen didn’t know. She majored in business. 

Then they saw the man who didn’t look so much as surprised at the thing that burst into ashes. The sword he had in his hand probably explained why. It dripped with a black substance that indicated he was responsible for getting rid of the creature. She watched him with slight fascination because walking away casually from whatever happened just now was not going to happen. 

He had ginger hair and curls that he brushed back with his gloved hand. He did not take notice of the two people that were watching him nor the black thing that was hurtling closer by the second. He was the one thing standing between them and the creature so all Gwen could do was warn him, “Watch out!”

Elyan was already dragging her backwards when the thing tackled the man. Oh why didn’t he move? Maybe he only spoke french? That didn’t matter. They had to help the poor man he didn’t even have the fancy sword anymore. Gwen pushed Elyan away, “Help him, I’ll distract thatー well whatever that is.”

He nodded and hesitated on what to do before spotting the sword and swinging it at the thing. They watched as the head fell off and the man got to his feet. 

Once Leon introduced himself he extended an invitation to stay at his place in return for saving his life. He led them to a beautiful cathedral that they hadn’t visited. Gwen thought that it was rather odd that he offered them a place to stay in a church, but when she entered the building, the pews and altar seemed to melt away. Instead of a traditional place of worship, they saw marble floors and weapons displayed on the walls. 

Leon offered to give them an explanation. One that involved myths and legends. Gwen could hardly believe it. Then again, she just witnessed Leon and Elyan slay demons. She was absolutely correct on her hellish statement.

Ergo, she spent the rest of her trip in France visiting the Paris Institute. She overheard the inhabitants whisper about her and Elyan being _banales_. She elected to ignore them, Leon and her were becoming good friends and she hoped that they would stay that way. Something about him was so familiar. 

And Elyan laid eyes on the trainees sparring with their seraph blades and was transfixed. Leon offered to show him a few moves and Gwen was proud that he took to it like a natural. 

She remembered the natives’ words from earlier. Perhaps, they weren’t from this world. The _Shadow_ world, but she couldn’t help but feel that something was drawing her here. She guessed she just had to stay a while longer to find out what that was. 


End file.
